Christopher S Hanson

Nocturnal Enuresis and Overweight Are Associated With Obstructive Sleep Apnea

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the relationship of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), body weight (BMI percentage [BMI%]), and monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) in children. METHODS: A case-control study design was used. All children were 5 to 15 years of age; case patients were recruited from a comprehensive sleep disorders center (n = 149), and control subjects were recruited from a general pediatric practice in the same catchment area (n = 139). Case patients were subject to overnight polysomnograms and grouped into apnea severity categories (minimal, mild, moderate, or severe) on the basis of respiratory disturbance index and minimum arterial oxygen saturation levels. Data for all children included age; gender; height; weight; and history of MNE, snoring, diabetes, nasal allergies, and/or enlarged tonsils. BMI% was used to group children into weight categories as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (underweight, normal weight, at risk for overweight, and overweight). Two age groupings were created (5–10 years and 11–15 years). Descriptive statistics provided the prevalence of OSA, weight category, and MNE among case patients and control subjects. Cross-tabulations examined the relationship of severity of OSA with weight categories and MNE, stratified by age and gender. A series of logistic regression models explored the interrelationship of the grouping variables. RESULTS: A large majority (79.9%) of control subjects were at risk for overweight, and a large majority (80.0%) of children with MNE also had some degree of OSA. Logistic regression demonstrated that both MNE (odds ratio: 5.29) and overweight (odds ratio 4.16) were significantly associated with OSA but not with each other. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and MNE are associated with OSA but not with each other. OSA should be considered in overweight children with MNE, especially when they display other symptoms of OSA or fail to respond to standard MNE treatment programs.

Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Materials Used in Road Construction

This paper provides a comprehensive summary of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions factors for producing asphalt concrete (referred to as “asphalt”) and portland cement concrete (referred to as “concrete”) pavements. Life-cycle emissions factors are provided for the key components of upstream emissions. GHG components included carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide, as well as the oxidation of nonmethane, nonethane volatile organic compounds and carbon monoxide to CO2. The approach described in this paper enabled the evaluation of emissions from hot-mix, warm-mix, and cold-mix asphalts with assumptions on heating requirements for each. The sources used for the emissions factors were derived from existing sources and models, and a key contribution was the synthesis of these factors for ready use by transportation agencies. Results of the comparison of hot-mix asphalt, warm-mix asphalt, and concrete revealed that warm-mix asphalt might have had as little as 34% of the life-cycle GHG emissions of concrete and 76% of those of hot-mix asphalt. Substitution of fly ash for 25% of the cement in concrete reduced global warming potential by 22%.

Seed grants as a means of stimulating cancer research funding

OBJECTIVES Seed grant programs have been suggested as an innovative way to launch new initiatives. We evaluated one such program designed to stimulate cancer research in a state with little to moderate cancer research activity. Success was defined as the ability of seed grant recipients to develop proposals, obtain external funding and publish the results of cancer-related research. METHODS Data were collected through the Internet from a variety of funding and publication databases, as well as through updated curriculum vitae and a mail survey of the seed grant recipients. RESULTS Fifteen (31%) experienced investigators and 33 (69%) new investigators credited their seed grants with helping them leverage 60 active research grants and 10 pending proposals with a variety of funders. Overall, seed grant recipients leveraged

Assessing and Comparing Environmental Performance of Major Transit Investments

10.10 for every dollar of seed grant funding they received. Anecdotal evidence showed that seed grants allowed grantees to establish themselves as legitimate cancer research investigators, develop and fund their laboratories, and focus or refocus their work. These results are from a single case study. CONCLUSIONS Seed grants for pilot projects inexpensively and efficiently built cancer research capacity in a state with historically low levels of national cancer research funding. As our findings are based on a single case study, we cannot state that this strategy would succeed for other states in similar circumstances.

Greenhouse gas emissions associated with materials used in commuter rail lines

Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Project H-41 addresses the need for new measures of the environmental benefits of transit investments. The objective of this research is to present, evaluate, and demonstrate criteria, metrics, and methods for assessing and comparing the environmental performance of major transit investments. The research was undertaken to offer decision makers optional criteria, metrics, and methods for assessing transit projects with regard to environmental performance. The first phase of research included a literature review, interviews with stakeholders, a review of four recent transit project alternatives analysis documents or environmental impact statements, an enumeration of potential metrics, and development of a more detailed approach to screening and selecting metrics. In the second phase of research the selected metrics were tested on six pilot projects.

The severity of pedestrian crashes: An analysis using Google Street View imagery

ABSTRACT The research summarized here provides a technique to assess the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the construction of commuter rail projects. The main focus is on the upstream emissions associated with materials, specifically, tracks, catenary, station platforms, parking facilities, and tunnels and bridges. Data on materials used and the dimensions are outlined based on available engineering guidance. Emissions factors for each component are derived from existing databases of upstream emissions. A case study of five New Jersey Transit commuter rail lines is analyzed to demonstrate the applicability of the data for deriving GHG estimates. Results provide useful insights on what material components of construction are associated with the largest fraction of GHG emissions. Catenary systems for electrified track tend to have large embodied upstream GHG emissions due to their copper content.